You Saved Me
by inwonderland
Summary: AU As a six year old, Harry Potter had the worst childhood, abusive and lonely. But when he is 'kidnapped' will it be for good or evil?
1. Prolouge and Chapter 1

Prologue  
  
A man was sitting on the floor of his cell. The cells weren't at all comfortable, they were 5 foot by 6foot, had stone walls of grey, and the only furniture was a camp bed with a threadbare blanket covering it. The man was sitting in the corner, rocking backwards and forwards, muttering incoherently to him self, not stirring or moving apart from when the guards went away, when the prisoners ate their meals.  
  
The guards were Dementors, Dark Creatures that sucked the happiness out of people, and when wanted to, kissed them, and sucked out their souls. The prisoner was the notorious Sirius Orion Black, convicted murderer of Lily and James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and a street full of 13 Muggles. He had been in the prison for four and a half years now, and everyday was the same. Wake up whenever, eat the gruel left for him, sit in the cell until dinnertime, and then fall asleep. No one ever visited Azkaban. No one wanted to. No one was allowed. Only the Minister of Magic who came for his yearly inspections of the prison.  
  
This time, Sirius was waiting for him, his mischievous past was not behind him, and he wasn't going to miss the first chance for four and a half years to spook someone out. Silently he got off the floor, from his usual position and sat on the bed humming. The Dementors didn't affect Sirius like they did the other prisoners. There was a very good reason for this, Sirius was very different from the other prisoners. He was innocent, and this was one of the only thoughts that kept him live and from not going crazy.  
  
Sirius heard a rustling form down the hall, and brightened slightly. He leant back against the wall and waited until the Minister came to his cell. The Minister was a short balding man by the name of Cornelius Fudge. He wasn't very high in Sirius' good books, he had sent him to Azkaban without a trial. But was Sirius Black one to hold grudges? Hell yes.  
  
"Hello Mr Fudge. How are you today?" Sirius said as the man was passing, and chuckled as the man jumped, apparently thinking that everyone in Azkaban had lost the ability to speak.  
  
"Mr... Mr Black..." Fudge began, perspiration running down his chubby face.  
  
"Oh, yay you remember me. Do you think I could borrow that paper? Don't get much news in here." Sirius said.  
  
"Of... of course, here." He said and thrust The Daily Prophet threw the bars. Sirius stood up and took the paper from his hands, and grinned wickedly at him, before he basically ran down the hall.  
  
"Nice to see you too!!" he yelled after him, before chuckling, and sitting on his bed. He sighed and opened the paper to the front page, and jumped up when he saw the headlines.  
  
Spotted! The Boy-Who-Lived!  
  
Today Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived was spotted playing in a Muggle park. Harry Potter defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, at just a year old, has been living wit his Muggle Aunt and Uncle, when his parents, Lily and James Potter were killed in the attack on their home in Godrics Hollow.  
  
This is the first time since he was given to the Muggles that Harry Potter has been seen in public. Just to see him is a reminder of how lucky we are that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated on Halloween, four and a half years ago.  
  
Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent.  
  
There was a large wizarding photo above the writing of a skinny jet-black haired boy, with large emerald green, unblinking eyes. He had clothes which appeared too big for him, and he was sitting alone on the grass, looking at the other side of the park, a sad look on his face. This was Harry Potter. James and Lily's son. The boy who defeated You-Know-Who. Sirius' godson. The only reason apart from the knowledge that he was innocent, which kept Sirius alive. And now he had a picture, a souvenir from the life he could have lived, if he hadn't switched Secret Keepers with Peter or gone after the little rat. That night Peter had framed him, faked his own death, and condemned him to life in his own personal hell, being the only innocent man in Azkaban, and being able to do nothing about it.  
  
~*~  
  
Sirius picked up the worn piece of paper of the bed, and again began to read it. He'd read it so many times he could say it in his sleep, and he had memorised Harry's movements in the picture. All he did as sit there, once in a while looking around, catching the eye of the person looking into the photo. Then something happened that hadn't before. A man came into the picture, a man as wide as he was tall, with a pudgy pig face and no neck. He took Harry by the scruff of the neck and hauled him off the picture. Holding his breath, Sirius watched the photo. Harry limped back into the picture, holding his arm , and sat back down, tears in his eyes. Then he turned, and looked straight into Sirius' eyes and mouthed the words, 'Help me' before turning away to watch the other side of the park again.  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Harry was cold. He was always cold. The cupboard under the stairs wasn't the warmest place on the earth by any means. The cupboard was cold, dark, small and had a lot of spiders in it. Harry didn't mind the spiders, he got used to them. They were the only company Harry had. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley never spoke to him, only barking orders at him, do this, do that. He deserved it in his opinion. He was a bad boy, a freak, and he should have been grateful that the Dursleys didn't dump him in an orphanage.  
  
Rap. Rap. Rap. "Boy get up and make my Duddikins breakfast, he's not going to starve because you're too lazy to get up."  
  
Harry snorted. There was no way Dudley would starve, he was fat enough to go without food for months, and he still would be over weight. Standing up, Harry pulled off his size 7-8 pyjama top, courtesy of Dudley, who at 5 years old, had out grown that particular pair a year ago. He winced as the fabric brushed over the welt on his arm, which he had been given in the park two weeks ago by Uncle Vernon, when no one was watching.  
  
When he was dressed, in an oversized brown t-shirt, jeans and NHS prescription glasses, he walked out of his cupboard and went in the kitchen. He knew the drill. Make Dudley bacon sandwiches, wait until he was finished, wash up and then he was given a dry piece of toast.  
  
He walked to school every morning on his own, Dudley had a lift in the car. The school wasn't far, only a mile or two, and Harry had realised how long it took him now, so he was never late. He liked school, and was eager to learn, but never had the opportunity as the teachers seemed to dislike him as much as his relatives. They'd probably told them lies about their home life, he knew the sort, he'd heard them telling Mrs Figg, his babysitter them too. He's a mad delinquent, he's insane, he is a bully, he steals, he'd heard them all.  
  
He went to Little Whinging Primary School, and he was in Year 1. He was the youngest in the class, having only made that year group by 5 days. He was the shortest as well, and the only one with glasses. Add this with the fact that Dudley hated him, and you had the reason why Harry Potter was bullied at school.  
  
Slam. Harry fell straight to the floor, having fallen over Dudley's large foot. He could hear the squawks of laughter from the entire class, and Harry did nothing. There was nothing he could do. He stood up and pulled off his glasses. They were broken again. That didn't matter, Harry had a trick. If he really, really wanted it he could make them fixed again. Harry didn't realise he was doing Wandless Magic, but he was. Noone ever noticed, and Harry didn't mind. He was pleased about it. He went to the back of the class to his desk and held his glasses under the table. He scrunched his eyes up and wished his glasses were fixed. He felt a tingle of magic and the shattered glass was back in place.  
  
'Good' thought Harry, 'Uncle Vernon might hit me again if I break my glasses.'  
  
"Harry Potter?" The teacher called his name on the register. He hadn't noticed she'd started.  
  
"Yes Miss." The teacher narrowed her eyes at him before calling, "Kerry Robertson?"  
  
When the register was completed, she told them to take out their paintings they had been working on. Harry smiled inwardly. He liked painting and drawing, he was quite good at it as well, but he never got any encouragement. He got up and fetched some of the poster paints from the cupboard under the sink, as well as a paintbrush and newspaper to lean on. He carefully placed them on his desk and went to the front to collect his drawing.  
  
It was a picture of an enormous castle with a man standing outside, with a long white beard, blue robes and a wand. Harry wasn't really sure what to do on the rest of his picture, so went to the front to request another piece of paper.  
  
"Miss Weston? May I have another piece of paper please?" Harry said timidly. The teacher looked at him suspiciously before handing him another piece, and sending him back to his desk. Harry immediately was struck with an idea, and began to draw. When he thought he was finished, he looked at his painting. It was a picture of a big black dog, a wolf, a stag and a rat. When Harry looked at it, he decided the rat looked out of place, so he took out his paintbrush and carefully painted over it in green. He smiled, art was one thing that took his mind off his troubled home life, which struck up immediately when Uncle Vernon came home that night.  
  
"Boy!!" Uncle Vernon shouted as he walked through the door.  
  
Harry was in his cupboard, trying to read one of the books he had 'borrowed' off Dudley. He wouldn't notice, Harry doubted if he could write his own name, never mind read 'Alice in Wonderland'. Although Harry didn't understand it all but most of it made sense. He'd taught himself to read at three.  
  
At Uncle Vernon's voice Harry shuddered. He sounded mad, and drunk as well, there was a slur to his voice that Harry recognised. He climbed out the cupboard and came face o face with a ver purple faced Uncle Vernon.  
  
"It'ssss all your fault, you freak, you cursssed my company, and now it'ssss going under, you freak, its all your fault." Uncle Vernon slurred at Harry. Harry knew what was coming, and curled himself into a ball on the floor, trying to block out the pain as a large leather belt with a steel buckle, hit Harry's small frame. 


	2. Padfoot or Sirius?

Chapter 2: Padfoot or Sirius?  
  
Making an inhabitant of Azkaban mad was never a good idea, even on a good day, and today was a very bad day for Sirius Black. Everyday was pretty damn bad, but this was truly the icing on the cake. His godson was being abused. There was no other way of saying it. That was what it was, pure and simple. And this made Sirius mad. As a child in the Black house, he was never treated well, he was never the model son his parents wanted, he had gotten Sorted into Gryffindor, he wouldn't become a Death Eater, and he was best friends with James Potter - a blood traitor and Remus Lupin, a werewolf. And Peter, but Sirius refused to think of that bastard. His mother was the worst, she favoured Sirius' brother, Regulas, and made sure Sirius knew about it. She hit him, hurled verbal abuse at him and to top it off, threw him on the streets at 16 years of age. He hadn't even finished school before he had to find a new home. But then again, Sirius didn't mind being thrown out, he hated his home, and James' parents were a hell of a lot nicer, and let him stay with them.  
  
He had to do something. He couldn't leave the poor boy there, he wouldn't last that long. He wouldn't see Hogwarts, he'd never have children, or get married. Something had to be done. Then suddenly an idea formulated in Sirius' head. Padfoot. Could he still do it? Sirius stood up and summoned his Animagus self. Damn, he had paws, and fur, but he wasn't a complete mutt yet. OK, Sirius, he told himself, you can do this. You need to. For Harry. Give him the childhood you never had. Sirius took a deep breath, and concentrated hard. With a low pop, a Grim like dog appeared in place of Sirius Black. Fan-bloody-tastic.  
  
He waited until his evening meal before transforming again. When the Dementors came through, he transformed, and slid through the slight opening where his cell had been opened, and galloped into the darkness of the corridor in the Maximum Security Wing of Azkaban.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry wasn't allowed out of his cupboard for another two weeks after he had been beaten by Vernon. He had a slice of bread a day, and to be honest he was thankful for that. Once before they had completely forgotten about him and left him locked in the cupboard, alone, hungry for a full three days until a teacher form his school phoned, asking why he wasn't at school.  
  
When he was finally allowed out his cupboard, the entire world, Muggle and Wizarding, was a complete and utter chaos on the breakout of a prisoner form a High Security prison.  
  
Harry timidly walked in the living room, where the television was blaring full blast. The news was on and was being avidly watched by Petunia and Vernon.  
  
"There have still been no sightings of escaped prisoner Sirius Black..." A picture flashed on the screen.  
  
"Padfoot..." muttered Harry, before he clamped a hand over his mouth and ran back to his room - no cupboard. Who was Padfoot? How did he know him? How was he connected to Sirius Black? All these questions buzzed around Harry's head, and apart from giving him a throbbing headache, confused him greatly.  
  
~*~  
  
So this was Surrey? Sirius thought as he padded through the streets. He'd only been here once before, and that was with Remus to terrorise Lily's sister. It hadn't been his best idea, as it had led to him being yelled at for several minutes by a pregnant red-head, but it had been as funny as hell. Sirius' stomach rumbled. Oh yeah, he thought, food haven't had any of that for a while. Should probably find some, or nick some, or something. Maybe that kid would have some. He bounded over to the boy and began to run around him.  
  
"Hey boy," the boy said, "You want something to eat? I'm sorry, I haven't got anything. My name's Harry. Have you got a name? Hmm... probably not I think you're a stray, you're a bit dirty. I think I'll call you Padfoot. Is that OK?"  
  
Bugger, Harry was easy to find. OK it was a total accident but it was him. He looked an image of James, a very much smaller, malnourished James with big bug eyes, but it was still mini-James. Sirius barked and began to lick Harry.  
  
"I guess that's OK right? Well, I need to get to school. You can come with me if you like." Harry suggested. Sirius nodded, and began to follow Harry, who talked to him all the way.  
  
"I'm in Year 1 at the moment. Dudley, my cousin gets a lift to school but I'm not allowed. He's really fat, and he needs the exercise really, but he won't walk. It's not really that far. Only down here now." Harry said and they walked in silence for a while. It was a very odd sight. Sirius was a very large dog, and Harry was a very small boy, and Sirius was taller than Harry was. Sirius thought he looked a bit like a bear, but he'd never told anyone.  
  
"Padfoot, something weird happened the other day. There's this man that's 'scaped from a prison. And I recognise him. His names Serious or something. I said Padfoot as soon as I saw him. I don't know why. I don't know why you remind me of him either. I mean it's not as if you are really a person is it? But you know, that doesn't seem like a weird idea. Magic I mean. I can kind of do some. I break my glasses a lot, and if I really really want them to, they fix themselves. Watch." Harry took his glasses off and threw them on the floor. The glass in them cracked, and Harry picked them up. He bent in close to the dog, and closed his eyes. A faint glow appeared around them and the glass became whole again. If a dog could look surprised Sirius did. Harry was a very perceptive child. Too perceptive maybe. Definitely too perceptive.  
  
Would Harry be surprised if he showed him he really was Sirius Black? Probably not as Harry had basically suggested it himself. As a child he'd seen Sirius do it many a time, and he never did call him Sirius, it was always 'Pa'foo, Mooey and Wormy...' no evil git. Out of my thoughts and memories. Go. Shoo. It was hard believing what had happened for Sirius. He never had a grieving period. He had never though of them in Azkaban. He didn't allow himself too. He didn't deserve friends like Lily, James and Remus. They should of made him be Secret Keeper, instead of allowing him to convince them to switch. God he was a prat.  
  
"Oh, Padfoot I'm here now. I'll talk to you more later maybe, if you're still here." Harry said, and he tickled Sirius behind the ears. He licked Harry on the nose, and Harry giggled, and ran into the classroom.  
  
Hmm, thought Sirius. Maybe I can tell him. It sounds as if he knows anyway, or at least that he wouldn't be too surprised. Yep, he decided he was going to tell Harry. When he came out of school. And then, we'd see what happens... and I can get him away from those ruddy Muggles.  
  
A/N Harry seems to know quite a bit doesn't he? Hmmm, why is that? Thanks to ne1 who reviewed I really appreciate it!! 


	3. I Don't Have to go Back?

Chapter 3: I don't have to go back?  
  
At twenty five past three that afternoon, Sirius waited at the school gates. Most of the other children had gone already, including Harry's whale of a cousin Dudley, with his mother Petunia. Being Sirius, he went straight for her when he saw her and scared a hell of a lot of people in the process. At last, Harry came out of the classroom looking thoroughly disheartened. His face broke into a happy grin when he saw Sirius, and he ran over to him.  
  
"Hey Padfoot, you're here. I didn't think you would be. Dudley tripped me over in class and a glass smashed. I had to stay behind and tidy up," Harry explained, "I'm glad you're here."  
  
Sirius woofed and gave Harry a lick on the cheek. Harry giggled and he put his hand on Sirius back, and began to walk. Sirius didn't know where he was going, but he guided Harry off path, Harry struggling to keep up with him, as he bounded to a park that Harry didn't know. He led him behind a bush and looked at Harry apprehensively. Was it right to tell him? Well, it had to be. He couldn't lead him all over the country as a dog, Harry needed an adult. He couldn't let him stay with the Dursley's, God knows what would happen to the boy. He thought about alerting Social Services, but he didn't think that would work. Harry would get place with, if at all a Muggle family who knew nothing about the Boy-Who-Lived.  
  
Harry began to wonder why him and an enormous black dog were sitting in a bush in the middle of a park. He decided to voice his thoughts, and he blinked. In the point three seconds his eyes had been closed, Sirius transformed for his enormous black shaggy dog look to his tall, shaggy human form. Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the murderer he had seen on the television a few nights before.  
  
"Your... how... who?... why.... How... who?" Harry stuttered.  
  
Sirius looked at him for a minute before he said, "Sirius Black."  
  
"Aren't you on the run or something?" Harry asked with all the innocence of a five year old.  
  
"Umm, it's not very much fun really." Sirius said.  
  
"I need to go, I mean, you, I'm, I need to go." Harry stood up and felt a hand on his arm. He turned to see Sirius hard cold eyes looking at him in a gesture of warmth and sorrow.  
  
"Harry, please let me explain." Sirius croaked.  
  
Harry looked at him for a moment before he sat down again.  
  
"Well, you know my name, Sirius Black. Wait - first Harry - I need to tell you something. You're a wizard." Sirius waited to see the reaction of the boy. Harry just smiled, a look of dawning comprehension coming over his small, rounded face.  
  
"Well that explains a lot." He said, and urged Sirius to carry on.  
  
"I used to know your parents," Sirius said, "Lily and James Potter, they were my best friends. They were being... hunted by an evil man called Voldemort. Well an old man called Dumbledore said there was a way to keep them safe. It was a charm, and it involved a Secret Keeper. I was going to be it, but I thought it was really obvious so I convinced Pettigrew to do it - "  
  
"Wormtail - " muttered Harry.  
  
"Yes," Sirius said surprised, but suspicious, "Do - do you remember him?"  
  
"No, only from my dreams." Harry said simply.  
  
"Ah. Well he was working for Voldemort and he told them where you, your mum and dad were. So he went to your house. And he killed your parents. He tried to kill you too Harry." Sirius said softly, tears threatening to fall. Harry had tears splashing off his cheeks as well, provoking a stray tear to fall into Sirius' beard.  
  
"It didn't work. You got your scar, and Voldemort died that night. Simple. But I went after Pettigrew. He set me up. I went to curse him, and he yelled about how could I betray Lily and James. Then the street exploded, and Pettigrew transformed and I was charged for him murder and 13 others. But I was innocent. But I saw a photo of you a couple of weeks ago and I knew I had to get out of Azkaban. And I did. And now I'm here." Sirius said, glossing over the nastier points of Harry's parent's deaths and the circumstances around them.  
  
Harry said nothing for a while until he whispered, "I remember. I saw it in my dreams. Him killing Mummy and Daddy and the explosion. At the end I saw a rat. It never made sense until now. I was told Mummy and Daddy died in a car crash."  
  
"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. Maybe it was a mistake coming here." Sirius said quietly.  
  
Harry's head jerked up, "No. I want you here."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. You didn't do anything. I want to be with you." Harry said stubbornly.  
  
"Oh Harry, that's fantastic, but it'll be hard. We have to stay out of the way of people. It'll be just you and me for a while. Til the media attention goes down. Then maybe I can get a job. Actually I could probably do some magic and change what I looked like. Then people won't recognise me." Sirius said more to himself than Harry.  
  
"I really don't have to go back to the Dursleys?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
"Oh Harry, of course not." Tears threatened to come again, and Harry found himself pulled into a hug.  
  
"Thank you..." Harry muttered into Sirius' dirty robes, and he sniffled back a sob.  
  
Sirius didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think, apart from how weird it must look for a grown man - a very strangely dressed man at that - to be sitting in a bush holding a very small child. Sirius hadn't a clue why or how Harry knew all he did. He was astounded at his reaction. But he hadn't known what to expect. Harry wasn't a normal child, far from it. From what Sirius had seen so far he was lonely child. Nothing like his father, not that his father hadn't been loyal. He was very like his mother. Quiet, clever, fiercely loyal - Sirius also wondered about his temper - Lily's had been legendary to say the least... but it was only ever at James.  
  
"Hey, Harry?" Sirius asked quietly, "What do you say about getting the hell out of this bush?"  
  
Harr giggled and nodded, and pulled out of his embrace reluctantly. He quickly dried his tears on his sleeve and gave Sirius a grin - albeit a very watery one. Sirius sighed and said, "Harry I'm going to have to change to Padfoot. I can't be seem, I'm a convicted murderer."  
  
"An innocent one though," Harry said sweetly.  
  
"Very true, but I don't fancy a load of Aurors taking you away after we met 20 minutes ago. OK?" Sirius asked seriously - no pun intended.  
  
"M'kay." Harry sniffled and he walked out of the bush, and was followed by a very large black dog.  
  
"So do you know where were going?" Harry asked quietly, as they walked together down the streets.  
  
Sirius barked and attempted to nod. Harry giggled and said, "OK. I'm glad. I haven't a clue where we are. I've never been to this part of town before."  
  
Sirius was extremely glad at this seen as all of the things down this alleyway were of a very sensitive nature, and Sirius hoped Harry would never have to come into contact with any of them. They walked along silently, until they stopped behind a dumpster. Sirius took a look around to check for people before he changed.  
  
"Y'all right mate?" Sirius asked Harry.  
  
"Yeah," Harry yawned, "A bit tired though."  
  
"Ah OK. We can fix that. Harry there's a homeless shelter here. We're going to go in soon, OK?" Sirius asked nervously. This was the only semi- permanent solution he could come up with. At least until he earned a little money.  
  
"But they might know you." Harry said, slightly hysterically.  
  
"I know. I'm going to put a Glamoire on me. It makes me look different. I'll have to do it wandless until I nick a wand from someone. Harry I might faint or something OK? Don't be worried, just wake me up. I'll be fine." Sirius said reassuringly.  
  
Harry nodded nervously and watched fascinated as Sirius began to mutter some Latin words under his breath. His hair turned a lighter colour to dark brown, and shortened. He himself shrunk a few inches, and he broadened as well. His eyes had turned emerald, on purpose as he would be posing as Harry's father. When he finished chanting he wobbled a bit before he sat down, rather clumsily.  
  
Harry's eyes widened and he rushed to his side, "Are you OK Sirius?"  
  
Sirius opened his eyes and nodded, "Yeah. I'm a bit knackered though. What do you say about going inside?" Sirius jerked his head at the door.  
  
Harry nodded gratefully and Sirius stood up, muttering something about 'being too bloody short for my own good...'. Sirius took Harry's hand and they walked around the corner, into the street of prying eyes and walked into the shelter, hand in hand.  
  
A/N Ta da!! OMG I got sooo many reviews thank you so much!!! By the way if anyone who is reading this is waiting for the sequel to A midsummer Night, it won't be for another week as I forgot to save some of it and I got well pissed off, cos it was about 2000 words long now its only 600!! Help, I'm going to have to write it again!! 


	4. Where The Hell Are They?

Chapter 4: Where the hell are they?  
  
Sirius and Harry had been at the shelter for a little over a week now, well David and Liam Redbridge had been. Sirius knew they couldn't be there much longer. He'd decided they were going to go to another town, another shelter, where there was no way any one magical would see them. Not that they'd recognise him anyway.  
  
Early on the Sunday morning, Sirius and Harry took off for Newcastle, a long way away, but Sirius felt that in the big city they would be safe. Sirius changed to Padfoot as soon as they were out of sight and together, over many days they walked the many miles to their new home.  
  
~*~  
  
"Where the hell is he?" snarled a sandy haired man, as he burst through a door, grasping a newspaper. An old, weary looking man looked up from his daze and greeted the man.  
  
"Ahh, Remus, how are you today?" the man said calmly.  
  
Remus and the man were great friends, the man being Remus' only confidant for four year now, "Pissed. When did you realise the bastard escaped?"  
  
"I was informed yesterday, he escaped early that morning." He said calmly as the young man threw himself into one of the chintz armchairs in front of the desk.  
  
"Damn it Albus, why didn't you tell me?" Remus demanded of the older man.  
  
"Alas, I was extremely busy, it has caused quite a panic. I have been at Azkaban and the Ministry for countless hours, trying to determine how he did it," Albus sighed, and lowered his gaze. Remus fidgeted in his chair, wondering whether he should reveal Sirius' secret. They'd made a pact the four of them, never to tell. He couldn't just abandon that, and Azkaban sent you made and took your powers? It couldn't of helped him to become a dog, and he couldn't of done it anyway. No. He'd just feel as if he betrayed the Marauders, and Dumbledores trust if he told. No. It wasn't necessary.  
  
Remus snapped put of his thoughts and voiced a question that puzzled and scared him, "Why? Why did he escape? Why now? Why?"  
  
Albus sighed, "Remus, there was a picture found in his cell."  
  
"Of what?" the werewolf asked sharply. It was drawing close to the full moon, and he seriously wasn't in the mood for crap and the headmasters' cryptic clues.  
  
"Harry." Albus said simply.  
  
"No... he can't have... he can't he's just a child. Why would he be after Harry?" Remus babbled incoherently.  
  
"It is thought that he escaped to finish what his master failed," Dumbledore said sadly.  
  
All the colour drained out of Remus' face, "No. No, he can't, Albus what are you going to do?"  
  
"Remus, would you check on young Mister Potter?" Albus asked.  
  
"Of course," spluttered Remus, "What's the address? Do I go now?"  
  
"Relax child. There is a Squib, Arabella Figg living nearby. Floo there, and she will tell you." Dumbledore smiled.  
  
Remus stood up, and did as directed, and Flooed to Arabella Figg's home.  
  
"Mrs Figg?" Remus spluttered as he walked out of the fireplace. A short old woman, with a cat under one arm, and two walking in and out of her legs was standing looking warily at Remus.  
  
"Yes. Remus Lupin?" she asked sharply.  
  
"Yes. I need the address of Harry Potter, Albus said you had it?" Remus asked politely. He'd been brought up to respect his elders, even in they were cranky old women who smelled of cabbage.  
  
"Number four Privet Drive. Go down the street, turn left, left again, and down the street a way until you get to a house. It has a mailbox outside, and small rose bushes. Easy to find. Well what are you waiting for? Go!!" she herded him out of the living room, and shooed him out of the front door. The door slammed behind him, and he looked at it for a moment before dusting himself off, and followed her directions to Number Four Privet Drive.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hi. I'd like to apply for a job, in building, if that's possible?" Sirius asked brightly. They'd been in Newcastle for a month and nothing had been heard from anyone. Him and Harry had been in a shelter for three weeks, and Sirius worked seemingly continuously for the weeks, to earn them money to rent their own flat. A cheap flat. A small flat. Their own flat.  
  
A woman looked at Sirius wordlessly before she handed him a handful of papers, "Fill them out." She gave him a pen and pointed in the direction of some chairs. He was applying for a job... anywhere. He was at a job centre, and he was looking for a job in the building industry. He'd heard form men he'd spoken to that it paid well, and had good enough hours. Sirius grinned at her, and scooped Harry off the floor and sat him on one of the old chairs. Sirius immediately began to chew his pen, as he tried to deceiver the papers.  
  
One hour later, and a very bored Harry, he had filled them out and handed them back. She looked down her nose at him and said, "Well Mr - " she looked at his forms, "- Redbridge. You will get a letter in a couple of days when something is found for you."  
  
Sirius nodded, and made to turn around before he turned back, "Hey, do you know where the nearest kids school is?"  
  
She looked at him and her eyes flickered to Harry, "I believe there is one a few minutes from your address. Called William Law. Not a bad school."  
  
Sirius brightened, "Thanks. Hey, Lee, we got you a school. You wanna check it out?"  
  
Harry nodded reluctantly, and walked up to Sirius, "I don't like school... Dad."  
  
Sirius grimaced at the name. That was for James and James only, but it was necessary for their cover, "Well, Dudley isn't at this one is he?"  
  
Harry looked thoughtful and shook his head. Sirius smiled again.  
  
"Good. See." Sirius said, and hauled Harry into his arms, "Thanks for your help," he said over his shoulder as he walked out of the building, and they set off home.  
  
~*~  
  
Remus took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Pleeease let Harry be here.  
  
A large man with no neck answered the door, "What?"  
  
Rude bastard, "I'm a teacher from Little Whinging Primary School, is Harry here?" Remus bluffed. He remembered this man. His and Sirius had been here to curse - cough visit Lily's sister a while ago, and this man had not taken kindly to finding them to be wizards. Probably best to forget that for a minute.  
  
"No, little runt ran away, a week ago. Good riddance and all." The man said, and made to shut the door, but Remus stuck his foot in front of it.  
  
"You told noone? You left a five year old on the streets?" Remus hissed, seething with anger.  
  
The man grunted, "Freak... your one of them aren't you? PETUNIA!!"  
  
Remus rolled his eyes, and a skinny blonde came to the door, "You."  
  
"Me." Remus replied.  
  
"Where's your partner in crime?" she hissed.  
  
Remus stiffened, "Prison. For the betrayal of your sister and 13 others." Hell, scaring these people was the least they deserved.  
  
Their eyes widened, "Look what do you want?" The man.... Vernon? Growled.  
  
"Where the hell is Harry?" Remus said, his eyes glowing amber. The wolf was very close to the surface at the moment.  
  
"We - don't know. He's gone. Leave us be." Petunia squeaked and slammed the door.  
  
Damn. Remus needed to yell at something. Someone. He made his way back to Arabella Figg's. Dumbledore never minded when he yelled at him. And he needed telling anyway.  
  
~*~  
  
The Boy-Who-Lived Missing!  
  
Today the saviour of out world is gone. Noone knows where he is. There  
have also been no sightings of Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer.  
The connection? Sirius Black was imprisoned for betraying Lily and  
James Potter, resulting in their deaths and You-Know-Who's demise, and  
the killings of 12 Muggles and his childhood friend Peter Pettigrew.  
Harry Potter hasn't been seen for nearly a week, Black 9 days. It has  
been speculated that Black kidnapped Harry to finish the job his  
master couldn't. May we all pray for the boy to be found safe and  
soon...  
  
Rita Skeeter  
  
Ta da whaydya think? I ent updated for a while because of the disgusting amount of coursework I have... ich, yuck - yeah. Anyway please review, and long reviews = good, got it? Ta very much!! 


	5. They're Where?

Chapter 5: They're Where?  
  
A loud door slamming was heard through out the whole of Hogwarts castle, and Albus Dumbledore smiled softly at the other occupant of the room as he heard it. He knew who it was. He knew why they were here. And he knew that they were the barer of bad news. And he knew he was about to be yelled at by a pissed off werewolf.  
  
The man spat "Bertie Botts," at the gargoyle and he stormed up the stairs and straight through the door.  
  
"Ah Remus. Lemon Drop?" Albus asked, holding out a paper bag of the lemon sweet. The man in the chair sneered at Remus before his mask fell into place.  
  
"No," he said bitterly, before he launched into his tirade, "He wasn't there. He's been gone an entire week and they haven't called a single person. Honestly they don't give a toss about the boy, I don't know how he survived this many years at the damn house. They hate him!! They hate all wizards - "  
  
"Anything to do with a prank you played on them?" Albus asked lightly.  
  
"This is not the time for that. How can you just sit there while Harry is with that git! Hell, he could be dead Albus! And why the hell is he here?" Remus yelled before slamming himself into one of the chairs.  
  
"He isn't dead Remus and Severus is here at my request. He will be helping you find poor Harry." Albus said calmly and he opened a drawer, picked something out, and placed it in front of Remus.  
  
"Why him? And you wanna tell me what that is or do I have to guess?" Remus snapped, grimacing inwardly at the tone he was taking with the Headmaster. Damn the moon.  
  
"Severus has excellent tracking skills Remus. He will be very helpful I believe," Albus said.  
  
"Yes Lupin, do I meet you approvals?" Snape scowled at Remus. Remus shot an equally vicious glare right back before asking again.  
  
"What's that Albus?"  
  
"It's Harry's Life Stone. When he was placed with his Aunt and Uncle I placed a charm on this stone and Harry that monitored the life in Harry. Remus it's been brighter than ever this last week." Albus said carefully, letting the stunned man in front of him draw his own conclusions.  
  
~*~  
  
"Harry, you ready yet?" Sirius yelled from the kitchen to the bedroom he and Harry shared. The fault they rented was tiny. It had a small bathroom, a tiny living area, a kitchenette and a bedroom barely big enough for a double bed.  
  
"Nearly!!" A squeaky, young voice replied. Harry was due at his school today for the first time today. Sirius prayed to God that Harry got on well here. Sirius didn't start his job until the middle of the week, so Harry could get used to his new routine. Sirius had been worried about who was to pick Harry up when he was at work, but a neighbour had offered to do it for him. She was a single mother of 20 who had a five-year-old son at Harry's school and a daughter of a few months. Kayla - which was the name Sirius had been asked to call her, her real name, was Kayleigh and she disliked it for some reason. Sirius had been torn as to let Harry keep his name as Harry Redbridge as h thought it would be very confusing on the boy. In the end he had settled on Harrison Redbridge, something Harry was comfortable with, and so that they could use Harry as a nickname.  
  
Harry came into the living room where Sirius was sitting and stood shyly in front of him in his new uniform of grey and green.  
  
"You look great Har, but before we leave, you need breakfast." Sirius insisted.  
  
Harry nodded and sat down on one of the old chairs in the living room, and Sirius came in with a bowl of Coco Pops, which Harry hurriedly ate. When he was done, Sirius began, "OK, we're walking with Kayla today Harry. Do you remember she's got a little boy in your class, Lee and a baby called Stacey."  
  
Harry nodded and there was a knock at the door. Sirius answered it and behind it stood a young woman with bright chestnut hair and eyes that had no definite colour. She had a young boy behind her that had sandy hair and a cheap pushchair with a baby with black hair and black eyes.  
  
"Dave, hi, are you ready?" she asked.  
  
"Er, Kayla, yeah, we're ready right Harry?"  
  
"Course Daddy!" Harry said cheerfully and he walked out of the door, ready for his first day at school.  
  
~*~  
  
A month later there was still no news on the whereabouts of The-Boy-Who- Lived or Sirius Black. Albus Dumbledore, being the level headed man he was, took this as a good sign. Harry's Life Stone was still glowing brightly and Albus knew no mistakes had been made on the charming of this object. Remus Lupin on the other hand - a month had passed and therefore it was the full moon again - was completely unconvinced. Either Dumbledore was getting old and losing his touch at magic or Sirius was raising the child as a supporter of the Dark Arts. The public however was convinced Harry was dead and was still in mourning.  
  
The search had continued but Sirius was not using magic, they had no leads to go on except for some powerful wandless magic that had occurred in Surrey a few days after they had disappeared. Wandless magic was extremely hard to trace, and so far nothing had come of it. Except for the knowledge that at the time of the magic a man and his son had been staying there.  
  
~*~  
  
"Dave, you really are too much you know that?" a sweet voice came through the flat of Sirius and Harry's.  
  
Sirius grinned at the owner of the voice and winked, "Kayla you are too kind."  
  
She giggled and suddenly the friendly flirting was broken by the cry of a baby, "Oh I'll just get her."  
  
Sirius nodded and watched her go into his and Harry's room, where baby Stacey had been sleeping. He had a day off work, and Harry and Lee were at school so Sirius had invited Kayla over in the pretence of having tea, where all he really wanted to do was ask her to dinner... and maybe get into her pants. Hell he was a 25 year old man, what the hell was expected of him, he'd been in prison for 5 years? And he really liked Kayla as well.  
  
"Is she OK?" Sirius asked as Kayla came into the room, clutching her daughter.  
  
"Yeah, she's fine, just needs a feed. Dave, could you be a dear and get me a bottle from my flat. Here's the keys, they should be on the side in the kitchen." Kayla said gratefully.  
  
Sirius nodded and took the keys out of her hand and went to get Kayla a bottle.  
  
When Sirius arrived back he gave her the bottle and looked at the baby in her arms and decide to ask a question that had been plaguing him since he had met her.  
  
"What happened to Stacey's father?" Sirius asked slowly.  
  
Kayla stiffened slightly and snapped, "Why?"  
  
"I just wondered - " Sirius said hastily.  
  
"Well - I don't know. He was a strange man, god I'm such a slut, I don't know his full name." Kayla said, her voice thick with emotion.  
  
"Hey, don't be like that." Sirius soothed.  
  
"He was really strange. He had long black hair, it was slightly greasy to tell you the truth. I called him Sev. He never told me his full first name. His last name was Snape." Sirius nearly fell off his chair.  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"We were together for a while. Two months. I loved him. He left. I don't know. He just never came home." Kayla said and a tear fell down her face. Startled, one that someone could sleep with Snape, Sirius rival and two that he meant so much to his friend and he had just left. Sirius leant forwards and brushed her tears away.  
  
"I'm very sorry Kayla." Sirius said sincerely. Kayla merely sniffed and said, "That's nothing compared to Lee's father."  
  
Sirius wasn't sure if he wanted to know what had happened there, but he nodded for her to continue.  
  
"My mother remarried when I was 6 years old. I hated him. He was evil. A complete git. But I never though... when I was 14, he came into my room..." She broke down completely, and Sirius held her close, and she let out the tears she had been holding in for the last five years.  
  
Later that afternoon, Kayla had calmed down and Sirius had picked up the children. Sirius had made dinner for the five of them and had done pretty well until he realised he'd somehow burnt baked beans.  
  
Sitting at the table after they had finished and Harry and Lee were playing in the bedroom, Kayla asked about Harry's mother.  
  
"Er - well..." Sirius didn't know what to tell her. Quickly he came to a decision, "He's not my son. He's my godson."  
  
"What?" Kayla was completely taken aback.  
  
"His parents were murdered when he was a year old, and I became his guardian." Sirius worded his answer very carefully.  
  
"Oh," Kayla said, "Oh."  
  
Sirius smiled weakly, "I know."  
  
~*~  
  
"Bloody hell where are they?" Remus raged.  
  
"Remus - "  
  
"They've been gone months, I am scared shitless for him - "  
  
"Remus - "  
  
"I mean he could be dead in a gutter for all we know - "  
  
"Remus - "  
  
"We need to do something - "  
  
"Remus - "  
  
"Bloody hell you idiotic werewolf sit down and listen. We have a lead. There was some magic at a place in Newcastle yesterday. We need to go now." Snape snapped. The full moon had gone, and Snape had come to the conclusion that the werewolf was a complete prat all the time, not just before the moon, all the time.  
  
"Really? Well what are we waiting for Sev? Let's go!" Remus stopped pacing the office and dragged a very pissed off Severus Snape with him.  
  
A/N Gods this is a strange chapter, I don't think its any good. I might take it down if ppl don't like it, plz review, long review are nice!! 


	6. What?

Chapter 6: What?  
  
A very annoyed Severus Snape and a very lively Remus Lupin stalked the halls of the building the magic had been detected. They had method. One that hadn't worked yet, but it would. They had gone through three floors of the block of flats now, and they had just trudged up the stairs of the next.  
  
Knock knock.  
  
A disgruntled old man answered the door. "What?" he said gruffly.  
  
"Good evening Sir," Remus said politely, "I was hoping you would be able to answer me something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you seen a small boy and a man living in these flats?" he asked.  
  
"No." he said and slammed the door. Barely phased, Remus shrugged and dragged Snape to the next door.  
  
"Your turn." He said happily. They were close. He could feel it.  
  
"Shut up." Snape sneered and rapped on the door. A man appeared, a short balding man with a dirty brown t-shirt and blue jeans that burst at the zip.  
  
He grunted. Snape sneered, "Have you seen a man and a small boy round here recently?"  
  
"Aye," he said, "Small laddy in t'flat 'posite."  
  
"Thank you so much," Snape drawled sarcastically, and the door was shut. Snape strode across the hall and knocked at the door.  
  
~*~  
  
"Dave?" Kayla called, "Do you and Harry want to stay for lunch?"  
  
"Cheers Kayla, that'd be good, I don't think we have any food anyway." Sirius joked.  
  
Kayla's clear uncut laugh ran through the living room and Sirius grinned. He turned his attention to the child he was holding. So like Snape. She was a Snape. She was a witch. Lee wasn't. Or he probably wasn't. He could be a Muggleborn, but it wasn't very likely. He wondered how she would deal with it. It was a big thing. She'd probably find out that Snape was a greasy git that taught Potions at a magic school as well. Hell, she might find out who they really were, in the end. She was very likely to be told about the 'Great Harry Potter' by her daughter when she went to Hogwarts. If Harry went that was.  
  
His musings were brought to a halt by a knock at the door. He sighed and called out, "Want me to get that?"  
  
"Thanks Dave," she called back, and Sirius hoisted the baby into his arms and walked over to the door. He opened the door and nearly dropped the baby in shock.  
  
"Evening," Snape said, "I'd like to ask you a few questions."  
  
"Er..." Sirius stuttered, "What?" They didn't recognise him? Wait he had a Glamoire on they wouldn't would they? Thank hell for magic!  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have seen a small boy and a man around here would you?" Remus asked. Something was wrong. He could smell fear ... something else ... something not normal ... he'd smelt it before ... not for many years ... a dog... this was Sirius.  
  
"Er- no. Sorry." Sirius said, and he switched the baby from arm to arm, "If that's all?"  
  
"No." Remus said, gritting his teeth, "You have some explaining to do Black. Where is Harry?"  
  
"Black?" Sirius said feigning confusion, "Sorry mate don't know anyone by that name. My name's Dave Redbridge."  
  
"Where is Harry?" Remus said again, louder, and his hand clutching his wand in his pocket.  
  
"Harry? What Harry are you talking about?" Sirius said.  
  
"Stop fucking with us Black, we know it's you. Let us in. Give us the boy, or we'll kill you." Snape snapped. This was definitely Black. He was as irritating as hell.  
  
"Look mate, you need to piss off. We ent who you think we are." Sirius said nervously, and he edged away, clutching Stacie.  
  
The door to the kitchen creaked open and Kayla walked over, "What's wrong ... Sev ..."  
  
Snape paled even more. "Fuck." He whispered.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Remus demanded, "Sirius you take those sodding charms off now or I'll do it myself."  
  
Sirius couldn't get out of it. He couldn't do it. He was going to be caught. Unless- could he convince them he was innocent? Snape was probably as paranoid as usual, he'd have Veritaserum with him.  
  
"Look," Sirius said, "You better come in."  
  
Remus and Snape walked in, and Remus paled when he saw Harry sitting on the settee, happy and content. He rushed over and swept him into a hug.  
  
Startled, Harry took a second to compose his thoughts, "Moony..."  
  
"How did you?"  
  
"I 'member." Harry said seriously, "Do ya still fink Padfoot killed those people?"  
  
"What?" shrieked Kayla, "What's going on? You people barge into my flat, start accusing people of things. Who the hell are you? What the hell are you? And you," she said addressing Snape, "I'm gonna kill you alone. When they go. We need to talk. Who are you, you talk of charms and things, Sev is here and knows of it and Dave didn't kill anyone!!"  
  
"Sssh," Sirius said, "Sit down, and I'll explain."  
  
Kayla sat stiffly on the couch and pulled Lee onto her knee. Snape leant against the wall, his wand out. Remus sat on the floor and hugged Harry again. Sirius took a deep breath and walked over to Snape.  
  
"You, you git this is your daughter. You hurt her again (meaning Kayla), and I'll have a reason to be in Azkaban." Sirius said and he handed the child to Snape. He ignored the fact he held her like a football and was about to pass out, and he took out his wand.  
  
"Kayla, I'm sorry, I've lied to you. My name is Sirius Black. I don't look like this," he took the Glamoires off and Sirius appeared in the place of Dave, "I'm a wizard. Harry is a wizard. Snape is a wizard. Remus is a wizard. Stacie is a witch."  
  
"What?" she whispered.  
  
"I didn't kill anyone." Sirius whispered, "I wasn't the Secret Keeper. It was Peter. I asked him to switch at the last minute because noone would suspect him. He sold them to Voldemort. I went after him. He began to yell incriminating things at me, then he blew up the street. He transformed and cut off his finger. He ran to the sewers, and is out there somewhere."  
  
"I don't believe you." Remus said.  
  
"Why?" Sirius begged, "There is no evidence. I never had a trial. I never even got to protest before I was thrown in Azkaban."  
  
"They wouldn't throw an innocent man in Azkaban." Remus said uncertainly, not quite believing it.  
  
"They did." Sirius said quietly and a tear fell down his cheek.  
  
"But ..."  
  
"I know." Sirius said wearily, "You want proof? I know he's a paranoid bastard, he has Veritaserum on him." Sirius said and he pointed at Snape, who had settled his daughter by now, and was looking on in confusion.  
  
"He's right, I have the potion" Snape said, "Could someone take..."  
  
"Her name is Stacie." Sirius said stoutly, but he took the child and handed her to her tearful mother. Snape produced a small vial of colourless, odourless liquid and handed it to Sirius. He said nothing and he poured three drops into the lid of the container. He downed them and he sat clumsily on a chair.  
  
"What did you do to him?" Kayla asked fearfully.  
  
"Truth potion," Remus said quietly, "He'll be OK."  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Sirius Orion Black."  
  
"Were you the Potter's Secret Keeper?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Who was?"  
  
"Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Did you kill 13 Muggles - "  
  
"Muggles?" Kayla asked.  
  
"Non magic folk." Remus said informatively, "You get Muggleborns, Halfbloods and Purebloods. Severus is a Pureblood. All high and mighty. So is Sirius actually. Harry and Stacie are Halfbloods. Harry's mother was a Muggleborn."  
  
"Finished Lupin?" Snape drawled.  
  
"Shut up and finish questioning him." Remus snapped.  
  
"Did you kill the Muggles and that twit Pettigrew?"  
  
"No. Peter did. After he cast the curse he chopped off his finger and transformed into a rat. He got away."  
  
"Are you guilty of anything you were imprisoned for?" Snape asked, rubbing his temples.  
  
"No. But I am an Animagus."  
  
"Really?" Snape asked, "How did you escape Azkaban?"  
  
"I transformed into my Animagus form and left. I went to Surrey and found Harry. He was being abused, I got him away. Then I came here. I lied."  
  
"Lupin anything I missed?" Snape asked.  
  
"No," Remus said thoughtfully, "But wait. How have you got a child?"  
  
"We dated. We slept together. He left. She was born. He comes back. Simple huh?" Kayla said dangerously, "You got me pregnant and left, you just never came back. Where in hell did you go?"  
  
"I...." For once Snape had no biting comeback. Instead he got a slap.  
  
"OK," Remus said, "You two need to talk. Without us here. We need to go and tell Dumbledore."  
  
"You're right." Snape said, and he rubbed his cheek, "Take Black and Harry, and I'll stay here. You will get a trial now Black. We know the truth." Snape said as he saw Sirius begin to get nervous.  
  
Sirius calmed, "Thank you. Harry come here."  
  
"Sirius?" Harry said timidly and he climbed off Remus, "Are you OK?"  
  
"I'm great Harry. I really am. We're going to Hogwarts Harry. We can get a proper house, you can go to school." Sirius said excitedly.  
  
Remus stood up and nodded. Wordlessly the three left, Harry hand in hand with Sirius, Remus leading the two, leaving Snape, Kayla, Lee and Stacie to battle it out.  
  
TBC ...  
  
Cheers to anyone who reviewed I got LOADS!! Thank you and please review again!! 


	7. What? Why? How?

Chapter 7: What? Why? How?  
  
Silently Remus led Harry and Sirius to an empty stair well. The walls were damp and dreary, the wallpaper coming off in big sheets, and the tiled floor and ceilings grey with cigarette smoke. He held out a fridge magnet, shrugged, and said hoarsely, "Dumbledore."  
  
Sirius merely nodded and pulled Harry into his arms and placed a finger on the Port Key. Harry buried his head into Sirius' t-shirt and closed his eyes. Remus cleared his throat, "Er ... Sirius ..."  
  
"Leave it Moony. We can talk later. We need to go and see Dumbledore first," Sirius said, slightly stiffly.  
  
Remus nodded slightly and opened his mouth again. Then re thought and closed it. Then re thought again and said, "Harry needs to put a finger on the Port Key."  
  
Sirius nodded and whispered something to Harry. Harry slowly turned around and cast his big green eyes on Remus, and put a finger silently on the Port Key.  
  
"Erm... it's on activation coding. So, I'll say it and we'll be taken, OK?" Remus said, almost shyly.  
  
Sirius nodded, and waited as Remus said, "The Boy Who Lived."  
  
The Port Key swung into action, and they each felt a tugging motion behind their navels, and the Port Key transported the three of them straight to Dumbledores office. Sirius stumbled slightly as they landed and Remus held his stomach momentarily before shaking himself and looking to Dumbledore, who had his wand trained on Sirius.  
  
"Albus, no," Remus said quickly, "He didn't do it..."  
  
"What?" Dumbledore said sharply, still not wavering in his stance.  
  
"He... he... didn't do it... he didn't do it..." Remus fell back into a chair and held his head in his hands.  
  
"Explain," Dumbledore said, pointing his wand at Sirius again. Sirius sighed, and hitched Harry up on his hip, as he was falling. He was going to have to tell this story a lot in the next few weeks. Crap.  
  
"Give Remus the boy." Dumbledore demanded.  
  
Sirius was shocked but he didn't show it. He sighed and gave Harry, who whined in protest to Remus, who was muttering to himself. God, what would he give to tell him that talking to yourself was one of the first signs of madness. No. Their relationship was too fragile, on too rocky grounds to even attempt to joke with him. They seriously needed to talk. Alone.  
  
Sirius looked warily at the end of Dumbledores wand, and gulped, "Where... do I start?"  
  
"The beginning." Dumbledore said harshly.  
  
Sirius sighed and nodded, "I wasn't the Secret Keeper – "  
  
"Wait," Remus said, "This is all true. We gave him Veritaserum at the flat. He will still be under the effects, it's barely been an hour."  
  
Sirius smiled gratefully at Remus, who didn't make any facial expression.  
  
"Oh..." Dumbledore said, "Fine. Good. Speak. Tell me what happened with the Potters."  
  
"I wasn't the Secret Keeper. We changed at the very last minute, as we thought that I wasn't inconspicuous enough. Every one knew they were going into hiding, and I was their best friend. No one would have ever suspected they switched Secret Keeper's. But they did. I insisted they used Pettigrew. But Peter was working for Voldemort, and only hours later, they were dead. I was on my way to check on Peter, he wasn't in his hiding place, and it just didn't feel right. So I went to James and Lily's and when I got there, and the house was in ruins. I scrambled through the rubble and found the bodies. Then I heard Harry. He was behind Lily, in the cot and he was fine. Except for the cut on his forehead. I took him, the Hagrid turned up. I gave him Harry and my motorbike and they left. Then I went to find Pettigrew, he was going to pay. I fully intended killing him. I found him and confronted him. He yelled for the whole street to hear I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within 20 feet of himself – and transformed into his Animagus form a rat with the rest of the rats... Not before chopping his finger off. A last piece of evidence against me."  
  
"He didn't do it." Remus said, as if clarifying it.  
  
Dumbledore lowered his wand and sat down, his head in his hands, "I put an innocent man in Azkaban?"  
  
"Er – "Remus said.  
  
"Yes." Said Sirius. The Truth Potion was still working.  
  
Harry sniffed, and Dumbledore looked at him, as if just remembering he was there, "What about Harry? Why did you take him?"  
  
"I got the paper off Fudge in Azkaban, and there was a picture of Harry on the front. I kept watching it and eventually I saw a man come into the picture. He was abusing him, it was Harry's Uncle. I couldn't leave my Godson there, so I decided I'd get out. I tried my Animagus form, a Grim, and it worked. When the Dementors bought my dinner, I left. They can't sense animals.  
  
I arrived in Surrey, and found Harry, I showed my self to him, and he decided he wanted to come with me. He was being abused, I saw the marks. We went to a homeless shelter, and well, we kept moving on. I changed my appearance and my name, and we moved to Newcastle, met people, I got a job, and Harry got settled in school. It was all good. Erm... then you lot came." Sirius finished.  
  
Dumbledore nodded sombrely, "Sirius, my boy, I am truly sorry for my mistake, I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive an old mans mistakes."  
  
Sirius sighed and nodded, "On day maybe Sir. Now I just want a trial and my name cleared."  
  
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Understandable. How to do this though? I believe the best solution will be for me to turn you in, and demand a trial. I will be listened to. Harry here can stay with Remus for a time."  
  
Sirius nodded, and took Harry from Remus' still shaky arms, "Harry, sweetie, I'll see you soon. Your gonna stay with Moony yeah? I'll see you really, really soon."  
  
Harry shot Sirius a serious look, "Promise?"  
  
"I promise," Sirius said, and he placed Harry on Remus' knee, and said, "Take good care of him OK?"  
  
Remus nodded, "Of course."  
  
Sirius nodded again and turned to Dumbledore, "Ready to go?"  
  
"Yes Sirius. Remus, you stay at Hogwarts with Harry I'll be back soon. We'll be back soon. Introduce him to the teachers, but let no one out of the castle know he's here. By the way where is Severus?" Dumbledore decided.  
  
Remus smirked, "Long story. Me and ... Sirius will explain soon. When he's back. Severus will be gone a while I should think."  
  
Sirius nodded, "Yeah. Later. Let's go. Bye Harry ... Remus."  
  
"Bye." Remus said, Harry said nothing. He was asleep. Sirius and Dumbledore disappeared through the Floo connection and Remus and Harry were alone.  
  
"What a mess." Remus muttered to Harry's unconscious form, "What a fucking mess."  
  
* * *  
  
(Don't know if ya wanted Severus/Kayla, but we needed summat that wasn't so ... intense.)  
  
Severus sat heavily on the sofa. Lupin, Black and Potter had left now, and he and Kayla... and Stacie were alone. Lee had been put to bed only moments ago, but the baby required a feed. They were going to have to talk.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.  
  
Severus looked up, for once, his throat dry. He had no scathing remarks, no sarcastic come back. He was truly sorry. And he didn't know how to handle it, "Kayla... "  
  
"What?" she said desperately, "Why? God I sound desperate, but I need to know. Why did you leave? Why did you never call?"  
  
"I... "Severus said, "I don't know. I couldn't carry on. It... our relationship, I didn't know how to tell you, about me. I couldn't handle it. So ... I left."  
  
"That's it?" Kayla snapped, "You left me, alone with a baby because you didn't know what to do. "  
  
"I didn't know you were pregnant. I would never have left, without leaving an address or anything. When I left I needed to be back at my job. When I started to see you it was the holidays... I work at a school. A magic school. Where the child will go." Severus said.  
  
"The child? She has a name, her name is Stacie. You haven't changed at all. Are you always so icy ... and mean?"  
  
Severus inwardly smirked 'Yes.' "I know... I'm bad at this. Terrible in fact."  
  
"True," she said icily.  
  
"I'm sorry...." He whispered. God that phrase felt foreign on his lips. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had uttered that horrible sentence. Snapes never apologised.  
  
Kayla's head flew up. She'd never heard him say that before, "Are you?"  
  
Severus simply nodded, "Very. I shouldn't have left. With out an explanation. I regret leaving all together."  
  
"I don't know if I want to get back with you Sev. I need time to think." Kayla said abruptly.  
  
He nodded. He expected that. What were they going to do? He couldn't give up his job. He was needed there. Dumbledore was the only one who had previously kept him from prison. If this was going to work, they would have to live at Hogwarts ... no. The boy, Lee, he wasn't magical. At least probably not. Maybe they could live together, he could go to Hogwarts in the mornings... more of a 9 – 5 job? Was that possible? Damn, he'd have to talk to Dumbledore.  
  
"Stay on the couch?" she suggested, "I'll tell you in the morning."  
  
Severus nodded, "You wouldn't mind if I did magic would you? Conjure a bed?"  
  
Kayla shook her head, "No Sev. Good night." She said softly.  
  
TBC..  
  
I'll update soon, promise!! 


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